This instant invention is generally concerned with microscope stages and specifically concerned with microscope stages which provide complex movements characterized by simultaneous displacements in a plurality of directions and simultaneous rotations about a plurality of axes.
Microscope stages may typically have many moving parts, parts which are complicated in shape and form, which may be subject to breakage, wear, corrosion, which may be expensive, and which may unnecessarily limit the movement of the stage. Examples may be found in FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,888 by inventor KAWASHIMA; FIG. 7 of U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,947 by inventor WANESKY; FIGS. 3 and 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,908 by inventor MOORE; FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,565 by inventor SCHILLING, et al.; and FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,537 by inventor SCHINDL, et al.
In addition to the complex arrangement of parts to form a microscope stage, there is a requirement that the stage accommodate optical coupling of an illumination source and an object to be examined. Generally this is accomplished by merely providing an aperture in the center of a stage. Examples of this can be found in FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,772,109 by inventors CUTBURTH, ET AL., and in FIG. 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,791 by inventors CECCON, ET AL.
Each of the stages mentioned above provide translations along two independent orthoganal directions. Any point in an observation field is addressable by successive linear translations along those two directions. However, it is not easy to smoothly follow a complex path of a curve or path having a wave nature. It is difficult to follow motion which is not along either of the two directions of movement.
A further problem encountered with stages as described above is the impossibility for rotation. If a subject appears in the field in an orientation which is not preferred, then a user may wish to rotate the field about some axis. As the stages described are not generally suited for rotation, an object slide may require manipulation before insertion into a stage. If changes occur during examination, it is impossible to rotate the stage to accommodate a preferred object orientation.
While the systems and inventions of the prior art are designed to achieve particular goals and objectives, some of those being no less than remarkable, these inventions have limitations which prevent their use in new ways now possible. These prior art inventions are not used and cannot be used to realize the advantages and objectives of the present invention.